Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Pond bottom raking. alternative for deep water

I was thinking the other day...dangerous I know!

Our family has a 1/4 scre pond with steep banks (1:1)on all but the side across the dam. This side is unsafe to stand on no matter what the water level is. Therefore I have been using a rake to turnover the muck from a kayak once a month or so.

My idea is to instead tie a rope onto something and drag it across the pond bottom from the shore. What would work well? needs to be heavy and a couple feet wide. I may try a cinder block or 2 just to see how much work it would be to pull something along.

Also does this sound like it would aerate and mix the muck as well (or at all) like raking does?

Bottom aeration system, easier, more efficient.

The stated or intended goal is to aerate and mix the muck which is an important feature of having healthy bottom sediments. Resulting currents from bottom aeration typically do not mix and aerate the upper layers of bottom muck. If that is occurring then the aeration will contribute to water turbidity. Aeration currents do not mix sediment muck even gently and especially not anyway near like mild or moderate wave action mixes beach or shoreline sediments. Diffused aeration originating at the bottom circulates water currents in the overlying water layers above the sediment and curents do not percolate into the sediment. Examination of deep water bottom sediments in aerated ponds indicate lack of mud - water inferface mixing into the benthic interstitial areas. To get water above the sediment mixed down into the sediments one needs to do something similar to what s-montgomery suggests; an actual physical mixing action. Mixing of the organic sediments would have to be done on a fairly regular basis to keep the sediments aerobic (oxygenated) in the upper layers (surface to 3"-6" deep). Exact needed mixing frequency is unknown. Organic sediments without constant or frequent mixing will rapidly loose the dissolved oxygen in the surrounding water among the sediments due to the high oxygen demand of the dense organic materials; I would think DO loss would be within probably hours not days. If the upper surface of the sediments can remain oxygenated due to bottom aeration then sediment dwelling invertebraes can live there and their constant activities can do a lot of mixing and consuming of the upper surface layers providing the currents from the bottom aeration are adequate.

Like s montgomery, during the summer I paddle around the pond and keep jabbing the bottom with the kayak paddle, it's time consuming but there's too many rocks and snags to use a rake. In the area towards the outlet this releases alot of gas bubbles, hopefully helping to mix the sediment and providing oxygen to it.

I agree with bluegillerkiller.

AP,

Me thinks you have too much time on your hands.

Just like the rest of us when it comes to ponds!